Chapter 5 — Business Is Business

Roberto

The movement was tense. A lot of people talking at the same time and the waitresses were already serving, but where is Louise?

"Ju, where is the new girl?" - I took her by the arm and she looked at me with a reproachful look.

"Didn't your friend tell you?" - Juliana had dissatisfaction in her voice and an angry look on her face.

"Tell me what?" - I frowned and continued to stare at her.

"He doesn't even want her serving; according to him, she won't make a good impression on the guests. I tried to talk to him, but there's no deal."

"Are you sure that's all there is to it?" - I let her go and went in Mauricio's direction.

"If you want more information, ask him yourself!"

Incredibly, Norely was talking to some men who kept all their attention focused on him, while Mauricio was talking to Ana.

I looked quickly to the door where a few more men were entering with the girls that Mauricio offered as escorts and I saw Parkinson hiding behind the curtains, of course to see if his daughter was among the girls. I approached Mauricio and discreetly stole his attention, making Ana leave his side, a little upset with the situation.

"I hope that everything goes as we planned today, there have already been too many incidents around here in such a short time!" - Mauricio says without any thought beforehand. I think there's already too much going on in this heart.

"If you're not up for another one, you'd better go see what Parkinson wants, watching from behind the curtains. Why didn't you let Louise join the others? It would be more agile, don't you think?" - Without even making a point of answering me, he walked quickly toward the Parkinson, who for a man with no money was dressed very well.

Maurício

"What are you doing here, you worm? Do you want to ruin my business just like you ruined your daughter's life, you wretch?"

I wanted to punch the bastard in the face until he was disfigured, but I have to keep my self-control in check or I'm going to fuck up a lot of people here, including Norely.

"I came on business Mauricio. You know, I didn't realize you were a man with so much business, aren't you ashamed of selling these girls as merchandise just to make a profit on them?" - A Good Samaritan, is he?

"Shove your irony up your ass and tell me what you came here to do, be brief please, I don't have all night."

"I came to negotiate my daughter, Mauricio. I brought you the money that was missing and I want it back, I will pay you back with interest! She is not a commodity."

"Is this a joke?" - A half laugh escaped my lips because it was really funny the way he spoke. - We did business, Parkinson, I'm not a man to go back. You will never get your daughter back or see her again, so if you have come here on business I will welcome you with open arms, otherwise I will ask you to leave of your own accord.

"NO! What are you going to do with my girl? That is not the deal we made!" - His tone of voice made the others look at us.

"Yes, that was the deal we made. You gave her to me as payment for your debts and I did you a favor by taking her, because she will bring me absolutely no profit. And do you really want to know what I am going to do with it?" - I smiled and watched him swallow. As they say: silence means assent.

"Please don't hurt her. Louise is too good to live in this world. I hope that someday you will rethink your actions... After his shitty little speech, Parkinson left..."

The salon was full and I really felt that something was missing between us, and it was Juliana, she was no longer there. Parkinson poured himself a shot of tequila and kept looking around, knowing that he wouldn't find her there, he quieted down and finally left before the auction even started.

"So what did he want?" - Where Roberto came from I have no idea, but he is a pain in the ass, oh yes, he is!

"Renegotiate his daughter!" - I answered, turning the champagne glass in my hand.

"You're not going to do that, are you?"

"You know I don't go back on my word. Now go and find Juliana, she can't disappear from my field of vision."

I turned my attention to the others, there are several people that I know will give me good profits for today.

"Mr. Monroeli, your mother is on the phone and demands to speak to you!" - Suzan appears with the phone in her hand, wearing only white lingerie, she is one of the women who accommodate the guests, serving them and always paying attention to the unaccompanied ones.

"Tell her I'm busy and will get back to her as soon as I can."

"I'm sorry but I can't do that, this is the eighth time she's called and she doesn't want to hear more excuses?"

My mother insists on a call because things must be really bad.

Active Connection

"Your blessing my mother. You know I'm busy!"

"God bless you my son. Now tell me, what is this business of keeping a girl locked up just because she is not the same as the others in her physical appearance?"

"Has Juliana ever called you to talk nonsense? You know that business is business, and another thing is that I'm busy right now, can I call you back?"

"Of course not, this was not the education I gave you Mauricio. Now have the decency to go downstairs and open the door for your mother who is already getting old and can't stand waiting for a long time." - What is in this woman's head to come here at this time of night on a Sunday?

Inactive Connection

I begrudgingly went downstairs without telling anyone about her arrival because she always makes an impact whether I want her to or not. After all, what mother comes up close to see what her son is involved in, and as if that wasn't enough to give me an opinion on what I should or should not do?

There she was, sitting in the armchair with the leather seat, puffing on a cigar and smiling as she saw me coming down.

"You never changed! Now come on, help me up, I have many things to say today. Even tell Roberto to bring me a drink of the strongest beverage you have here."

"You won't drink and you won't ruin anything here. If you want to talk you can go home, and when everything here is over I'll leave too." - I tried, but nothing will change her mind, and it's been like this since I can remember.

"Look here, I'm your mother, not some bitch you get to tell me what to do. I should stay here just for this, but I'm tired and when you get here you'll hear..."